It is known in the art of building structure heating to propel air, as by means of a fan, from a lower level to an upper level. Known systems of this nature, however, are deficient in that they require either continuous fan operation, which utilizes excessive amounts of energy, or constant manual intervention, which is both inefficient and time consuming.
In contrast, the system of the present invention operates automatically to lessen the differential of temperatures in upper and lower building levels. The system operates by redistributing the hot air that normally rises to the upper levels of a multi-story building to a lower level, thereby providing a more uniform temperature throughout the building.
It will be appreciated that such redistribution saves energy since the occupant of the building need not over-heat the upper level in an attempt to properly heat the lower level. It is not uncommon for temperatures between levels of a multi-story building to reach differentials of 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit or more. An occupant can therefore waste a great deal of energy trying to heat a building lower level to a desired temperature.
The system of the present invention obviates these problems and difficulties in an efficient manner. The system functions only as necessary and when necessary, being activated only when the temperature differential between an upper level and a lower level exceeds a first predetermined magnitude. The system automatically shuts down when such temperature differential drops to a second predetermined magnitude.